reblog this if you’re a fanfic writer & your motivation to write actually increases when readers actually show interest & give you feedback. even just a reblog or a little comment here and there
Albus is sitting in his study, unable to focus on his work. He was hoping to catch a glimpse of the mysterious man in the graveyard, but the man hasn’t shown up that day and it is all Albus can think about when he hears a knock on his door.
He tries to ignore it, but the visitor knocks again, a bit more impatiently.
Annoyed and not wanting to be disturbed, Albus opens the door, but any word of refusal instantly dies on his tongue as he sees who the insistent visitor is.
Albus: *tries to compose himself*
Gellert: -Here I am.
Gellert: *eyes light up in recognition*
Gellert: Albus. May I call you Albus? I’ve recently read your latest article in Transfiguration Today-
Albus: *is surprised that anyone actually read his article*
Gellert: *launches into a one sided discussion of the article at hand*
Gellert: *realizes that Albus is still looking slightly confused and far from sharing his excitement*
Albus: I’m just surprised that someone found it interesting…
Gellert: The didn’t? Well…
Gellert: *fastens his eyes on Albus for a second too long*
Albus: *fidgets nervously under Gellert’s gaze*
[[ Gellert Grindelwald played by the incredible @kapitan5o ]]
Fun Vampire Fact; the reason that Vampires traditionally cannot see their reflections in a mirror is because mirrors used to be backed with a reflective layer of silver — which, as the metal of purity, would not ‘interact’ with Vampires, who are the Devil’s work.
However, modern mirrors have used aluminum as their reflective backing for many years now — and aluminum is not a ‘picky’ metal at all. So Vampires are able to see their reflections in modern mirrors.
All I can think about is a vampire used to not seeing their reflection in mirrors for centuries, and one day they are just walking along and unknowingly pass a mirror backed with aluminum and THEY NEARLY SHIT THEMSELVES.
Silver Nitrate was also used in old photographs.
So when the modern camera came around, Vampires must of been enthralled by seeing their own image after centuries of having to rely on scared Artists to paint them.
Vampires would clearly be taking ALL the selfies.
“Anna pls put the phone down-”
“I HAVEN’T BEEN ABLE TO STYLE MY HAIR ON MY OWN PROPERLY IN CENTURIES, SUSAN, I SIMPLY MUST PUT IT ON THE INSTAGRAM”
The Final Death comes for everyone, eventually. Héctor knows it better than most; he came within moments of being forgotten, a very long time ago. He’d thought it was the worst feeling he could possibly experience in his afterlife, but he had been wrong. He hadn’t counted on having to watch his family fade around him, one by one. He hadn’t counted on finding himself alone again.
Characters: Héctor Rivera, Miguel Rivera, Imelda Rivera, Coco, Ernesto de la Cruz, the Riveras in general Rating: G
A/N: This was my entry for the Coco Locos Angst Off contest. Had to stay anonymous until the voting ended, so I couldn’t put it on Tumblr. Then I forgot to do it. Now, by unpopular demand – read: absolutely no one asked – here it is. I’m sorry.
***
Time marches on.
It is one of the most basic rules of the universe, in life and death. Time marches on, family lines get muddled and end – they can last a long time, their blood keeps running in the veins of the living, but in the end names are just names and stories are just stories – and memories are lost.
It happens to everyone, eventually. Héctor knows it better than most; he came within moments of being forgotten, a very long time ago. He’d thought it was the worst feeling he could possibly experience in his afterlife, but he had been wrong.
He hadn’t counted on having to watch his family fade around him, one by one.
He hadn’t counted on finding himself alone again.
His bones are almost as yellow as they used to be, now, and the energy holding them together almost as faint. But this time he’s glad, it gives him hope. There is no family for him to visit on the other side of the bridge; they are all in whatever oblivion is to be found beyond the Final Death, and he cannot force his way through that.
He can do nothing but to wait, and keep marching on as time does, in the hope that he may see them again.
Don’t base them exclusively on physical and/or sexual attraction. While these kinds of attraction can certainly strengthen relationships, they can’t create anything but a weak foundation for a relationship on their own.
Know how your characters like to show and be shown affection. Not everyone shows their interest in others the same way. Some people like to give gifts. Others like to cuddle. Still others like giving compliments. Different people like to receive different kinds of affection as well.
Remember that love at first sight is a myth. You can have lust at first sight and romantic interest at first sight, but true love takes time to develop.
Show the characters interacting and getting to know each other. This should be obvious, but it is all to common for a character to be given a love interest at the last minute or to be paired off with someone the reader hasn’t seen them interact with much. Remember, the reader doesn’t have to see every little thing they do together, but the relationship will feel forced to the reader if they don’t see the characters interacting and establishing that they genuinely care about each other in a significant way. If the reader views your character’s significant other as little more than a stranger, then you’re doing something wrong.
Have both characters do things for each other and contribute to the relationship in meaningful ways. Relationships are two way streets. While you don’t need to keep score of exactly who does what for who (Relationships are not a competitive sport!), the relationship should seem fairly balanced or, if it’s not, then the characters should be working to change that.
Don’t give your characters completely incompatible traits. While it’s healthy for people to differ from each other, there are some differences that even people that are otherwise perfect for each other probably can’t overcome. For example, a environmental activist would have a hard time having a healthy relationship with someone who wants to chop dow a forest. Basically, know your characters’ deal breakers so that you won’t try to match up characters who are simply incompatible with each other.
Have them share interests. This is a great way to add substance to relationships outside of physical attraction and compatible personalities. Maybe they both like fishing. Maybe they share a passion for baking. Whatever you decide to have them like, don’t be afraid to use your characters’ shared interests as opportunities for them to bond. Also, if your characters don’t share a lot of interests/hobbies, consider having one character introduce the other to their hobby or have one character take initiative to try something the other likes. This is a great way to show how much your characters care about each other because it demonstrates your characters’ genuine interest in what makes their partner happy.
Let the relationship experience at least a few bumps in the road. No relationships are perfect. Let your characters disagree, argue, and maybe even have a full on fight. Relationships that withstand obstacles seem stronger to readers, especially if the characters grow as people because of these hardships.
The resemblance hits him all at once one evening, as he’s helping Rosita in the kitchen and he notices Cheque walking in, all smiles and bright-eyed, clearly looking to get a bite of the cake Rosita just baked.
The boy doesn’t look much like Ernesto; not now and not in life, either, judging from his picture on the ofrenda. Ernesto was on the chubby side as a kid, while Ezequiel had been on the thin side of lean. He is shorter than Ernesto had been his age, his shoulders not as broad, his frame nowhere as thick, and his features more angular. That, and Ernesto had been loud, always looking to be at the center of attention; Ezequiel is silent, of course, and far more at ease in the background.
No, all in all there are no similarities… until he sees them, and then they’re so obvious.
It is the tilt of his head, the innocent look, the cocky grin when he gets what he wants; it is the spring in his step and the unconscious, effortless grace of his movements. It is the look of pride when he manages a magician’s trick that baffles even Óscar and Felipe. It is how he pauses in front any reflective surface, the quick gesture to brush back his hair; he’s doing that right now, glancing at his reflection on the oven… and Héctor is not the only one looking, either.
Across the kitchen, Imelda is watching. Her expression is unreadable for a moment, her mouth pressed in a thin line, her frame tensing; then their gazes meet and Héctor knows that she sees it, too. Until Rosita laughs, and that grim moment of recognition is over.
He and Imelda turn to see she’s cutting off a slice of cake, reaching to ruffle Ezequiel’s hair with her free hand. The annoyed look as he fixes his hair is gone quickly, but it is there and oh, it is as familiar as the bright smile that follows.
“We’ll be dining in a couple of hours, Rosita,” Imelda says, in a casual tone that shows none of the thoughts she and Héctor shared – and that is good, it’s how it has to be, because no similarity, however unsettling, is the boy’s fault.
As Ezequiel takes his first bite, stuffing his face with clear satisfaction, Rosita chuckles. “I know, I know. I just can’t resist those eyes,” she says. “What Cheque wants, Cheque gets.”
Yes, Héctor thinks, that is familiar, too. What he wants, he gets.
But Ezequiel del Rio wants for nothing more than family, security, and the occasional slice of cake. And that, Héctor thinks, makes all the difference in the world.
When Cheque asks him about his great-great grandmother and great-grandmother, things get slightly awkward.
Ernesto hadn’t even known of the existence of Maricruz del Rio until the previous year, when Héctor had revealed it to him. He knows nothing about her other than what he’d been told then: that she’d been left in an orphanage, that she’d died young in childbirth, and that she’d been forgotten years ago.
And, of course, that she’d been his daughter. It feels unreal, to think about it; if not for Cheque – if not for the fact that petal had lit up for the blessing, proving their relation – he wouldn’t even believe she ever existed.
He supposes it should sadden him, knowing that she passed away from both worlds so soon, but the truth is that it makes him feel nothing. She’s a name, and some nebulous information, but nothing more. He knows nothing of her, nothing of her short life and of her afterlife, and nothing of the wretched bloodline she – he – left behind, if not the fact that Ezequiel was its result.
I detailed how that would likely go here but now I also wrote a thing because I should be sleeping and, of course, I am not.
That was not the direction he’d expected the night to take.
Estéban – he’s been Estéban García three decades longer than he’s ever been Ernesto de la Cruz, by now; the name has grown on him – was supposed to have a drink at the usual cantina, watch the firework display later on, greet a few acquaitances while he was at it and then head home, like he’d been doing pretty much every Día de los Muertos in the past few decades.
He hadn’t counted on his alebrijes suddenly taking off, forcing him to follow. He hadn’t expected them to lead him to a mute, recently deceased child sitting alone in an alley.
And he hadn’t expected the boy – Cheque, he said his name was – to turn out to be connected with the Riveras.
I WAS SUPPOSED TO GIVE A BLESSING, BUT I CAN’T.
“You need to go back, muchacho. Just about now.” Before they find you and me by extension. “The blessing must be given before dawn.” No pressure or anything but please get lost. “I’m sure they’re not mad at you. You just need to try again. I can… show you the way to the Department of Family Reunions, sí? From afar.”
Stop talking and start doing: My Fallout Shelter for my Tumblr blog 